Infinitive and Gerund

Full Infinitive
After an adjective Example: The new computer is really easy to use.

After certain verbs (with to) Example: He refused to pay the bill.

 afford  expect  manage  refuse

 agree  fail  mean  want
 appear  help (also  offer  wish
 arrange without to)  plan  would like
 beg  hesitate  prepare  would love
 choose  hope  pretend  would prefer
 decide  learn  promise

Gerund

As the subject of a clause Example: Cycling is good for your health.

After a preposition Example: I did my homework before going out.

Verbs followed by Gerund Example: I enjoy cooking.

 admit  can't stand  finish  practise

 advise  deny  keep  suggest
 allow  dislike  mind  waste time
 avoid  enjoy  miss / money
 can't help  fancy  permit

Verbs with Prepositions followed by Gerund

Example: I'm looking forward to seeing you again soon.
 accuse of
 blame for  dream about/of  look forward to
 agree with
 care for  feel like  object to
 apologize for
 carry on  forgive for  think of
 ask about
 complain about  give up  succeed in
 believe in
 concentrate on  insist on  use for
 be used to
 depend on  keep on

Words followed either by Infinitive or Ing-Form

Words with the same meaning Example: I started to read. / I started reading.

 attempt  cannot bear  hate  prefer

 begin  cease  intend  start
 bother  continue  love
 Words with the same meaning but different use

Word Infinitive - with an object Gerund – without an

object
advise I advise you to go by bus. I advise going by bus.
allow / He allowed her to take the He allowed taking the car.
permit car.
forbid She forbids us to smoke. She forbids smoking.

Words with a different meaning

Wo Infinitive meaning Gerund meaning

rd
with regard to the future with regard to the past
forget / remember Remember to switch off the Do you remember switching off the
lights. lights?
Spanish: Recuerda apagar las luces Spanish: ¿Recuerdas haber apagado las luces?
start something new
continue with the same action
go on Go on to
Go on reading.
read.
Spanish:
with regard to the future with regard to the past
regret I regret to say that’s wrong. I regret saying that.
Spanish: Lamento decir que está mal. Spanish: Lamento haber dicho que está mal.
interrupt another action terminate
stop I stopped to smoke. I stopped smoking.
Spanish: Paré para fumar. Spanish: Paré de fumar.
do something complicated do it and see what happens
try Try to solve this riddle. Try talking to him.
Spanish: Intenta resolver este Spanish: Prueba a hablar con él.
acertijo.

Gerund or Infinitive - Exercise 1

1) A lot of people are worried about to lose their 6) Are you thinking of _ visiting London? (visit)
jobs. (lose) 7) He apologized for to arrive so late. (arrive)
2) He agreed to lose a new car. (buy) 8) Stop making noise, please; I’m studying.
3) The question is easy _ to answer (answer) (make)
4) Not everybody can afford going to 9) She doesn't mind work the night shift.
university. (go) (work)
5) I look forward to see you at the weekend. 10) I learned ride the bike at the age of 5.(ride)
(see)

Gerund or Infinitive - Exercise 2

1) We decided to buy a new car. (buy)
2) I regret tell you we won’t lend you the 7) Avoid making silly mistakes. (make)
money. (tell) 8) My parents wanted me to be home at 11
3) Peter gave up smoking _.(smoke) o'clock. (be)
4) He'd like flying an aeroplane.(fly) 9) I dream about build _ a big house. (build)
5) I enjoy write picture postcards. (write) 10) He advised me doesn’t spend so much
6) He offered to help help with the cleaning. money. (not spend)
(help)
Gerund or Infinitive Exercise 1

1 Fill the gaps with the verb in brackets in the appropriate form.

1 I can't stand _ waiting _ in queues. ( to wait )

2 I wouldn't like was in his shoes. ( to be )

3 Jim loves to work in Thailand. ( to work )

4 I hate _ do the shopping on Saturday. ( to do )

5 Blast! I forgot to buy_ milk. ( to buy )

6 In the end we decided to stay_______in. ( to stay )

7 I need find______________some information about Portugal. ( to find )

8 My parents like__________going to for long walks at the weekend. ( to go )

9 Tony gave up___________to smoke years ago. ( to smoke )

10 I wanted going to and see Troy but no one else was interested. ( to go )

11 Mrs Leith offered to take____________us to the airport. ( to take )

12 Clare refused to help clean up after the party. ( to help )

13 I tried persuading him to come but it was no use. ( to persuade )

14 Do you mind not to smoke_________? ( to smoke )

15 Everybody really enjoyed _ to dance the cha-cha-cha. ( to dance )

16 Lionel admitted__________to eat my chocolate mousse. ( to eat )